Willard Wigan – Micro Art in the Eye of a Needle

Willard Wigan is an amazing sculptor, but at first glance some of his pieces may look a little bit unrefined. A little wiggly, a little disproportionate, with a whimsical style that will probably bring a smile to your face; and look at that nice detail of the metal frame around each one! If I told you you’re looking at the eye of a common sewing needle, would you believe it right away? Wigan is a Micro Sculptor: all of his pieces are created and viewed through a microscope, and he’s made a name for himself capturing miniature worlds in the eye of a needle or on the head of a pin. How is this even a thing?!

Willard Wigan – Micro Art in the Eye of a Needle

Now, I don’t mean that sarcastically- I’m pretty floored by the fact that he’s able to bring this to tiny, miniscule, brilliantly coloured micro life. It’s more that I am in disbelief at the dedication even one piece must require, and I can’t even imagine the tools you would need to put something like this together. A one bristle paint brush, or maybe a micron thick putty blade? Actually needle-nosed pliers? The poor guy is going to put them down for a break to stretch his legs, move a little too fast, and they’ll all float away on the slight breeze. What’s even more mind blowing is that Willard Wigan has put a lot of time making himself into the perfect tool for his art. Steady hands and even a slowed heartbeat are traits he has managed to cultivate in a meditative state, and he often works through the night because minor reverberations from things like traffic on the street outside can become major stumbling blocks.

Are you boggled yet? These amazing little masterpieces are so small that you wouldn’t be able to enjoy them without magnification, even if you were in possession of one, holding it right up to your eye. The appreciation of this ridiculous talent is pretty diverse; HRH. Prince Charles, Sir Elton John, Sir Philip Green, Lord Bath, Mike Tyson and Simon Cowell. (Some of these things are not like the others…) The Queen herself commissioned a tiny Coronation Crown for her diamond jubilee. Clearly, Willard’s got a pretty interesting life, so it’s not really a big surprise he’s been asked to participate in the TED talks (and we’re pretty big fans of them around here.) If you want to read more about Willard Wigan or see some videos about his work, I highly recommend you check out his website here. Click on any of the images for a better view of the detail that goes into each micro sculpture.